Maharashtra Election: BJP releases third list of 25 candidates, declares names for North, West and Central Nagpur

Maharashtra Election: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released its third list of 25 candidates for the state assembly polls on Monday. The third list mentioned names of candidates from North, West and Central Nagpur. Pravin Prabhakarrao Datke will contest from Nagpur Central, Sudhakar Vitthalrao Kohale from Nagpur West and Milind Pandurang Mane from Nagpur North (SC).

BJP third candidate list: Full list here

In the first list, the BJP had confirmed that Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will contest from Nagpur South West, while state BJP president Chandrashekhar Krishnarao Bawankule will fight for the Kamthi assembly seat.

The first list of the BJP had names of 99 candidates. Other key candidates included Minister Girish Mahajan who will contest from Jamner, Sudhir Mungantiwar from Ballarpur, Sreejaya Ashok Chavan from Bhokar, Ashish Shelar from Vandre West, Mangal Prabhat Lodha from Malabar Hill, Rahul Narwekar from Colaba, and Chhatrapati Shivendra Raje Bhosale from Satara.

The BJP released the second list of 22 candidates on October 26. According to the list released by the party, Ram Bhadane will contest from Dhule Rural, Chainsukh Madanlal Sancheti from Malkapur, Prakash Gunvantrao Bharsakale from Akot, Vijay Kamalkishor Agrawal from Akola West, Shyam Ramcharanji Khode from Washim (SC), Kewalram Tulshiram Kale from Melghat (ST), Milind Ramji Narote from Gadchiroli (ST), Deorao Vithoba Bhongle from Rajura, Krishnalal Bajirao Sahare from Brahmapuri and others.

The voting for the 288 assemblies in Maharashtra will take place on November 20 and the results will be declared on November 23. The deadline to file nomination papers for the assembly elections closes on Tuesday.

As the polling date draws near, both the ruling Mahayuti alliance comprising the BJP alongside the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) and Ajit Pawar-led NCP and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) have intensified their preparations.

In the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections, the BJP won 105 seats, the Shiv Sena 56, and the Congress 44. In 2014, the BJP secured 122 seats, the Shiv Sena 63, and the Congress 42.